Movable counter top



Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES MOVABLE COUNTER TOP Bruce K.slonneger, Dayton, Ohio, a ssignor to The National .Cash RegisterCompany, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Applicatijen was 14,1950, Serial No. 168,018

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a movable support for cash registers and thelike.

In their use, cash registers are placed on counters in retail storeswhere merchandise is sold. In order to makeuse of all possible space fordisplaying merchandise, the user stacks the merchandise up to and inclose proximity to the cash register. This condition is desirable forpromoting the sale of goods, but it presents a problem when the cashregister requires service, such as replacing ribbons or record material,minor repairs, or any other service which makes it necessary to obtainaccess to the inside of the cabinet of the machine. To do so, themerchant or the service man must move all the merchandise or must movethe cash register away from the merchandise.

The object of the present invention is to provide a movable support fora cash register.

A-specific objectofthe invention is to provide a support for acash'register which has a platform which normally rests on a counter topand to which the cash register is secured, a pivoted support for theplatform, and a means to support one end of the platform when theplatform is moved relatively to the counter top.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includescertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, apreferred form or embodiment of which will be hereinafter described withreference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a "part of thisspecification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a movable support, showing a cashregister mounted thereon in chain lines and showing the movable supportin moved position in chain lines, and shows a part of the mechanism incross section taken on line ll of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a typical installation of a cashregister on a store counter and illustrates merchandise placed besidethe cash register in chain lines.

General description In retail stores where cash registers are used, thecash register and the merchandise are usually positioned on a counterside by side. Periodically it is necessary to gain access to themechanism inside the cabinet of a cash register for replacing recordmaterial and ribbons and for PATENT 01F F ICE 2 mechanical inspection.'For the purpose, a door or doors are provided in cash registercabinets, but in many instances access to these doors is blocked bymerchandise displayed around the cash register. To render the cabinetdoors accessible without "disturbing the display of merchandise, thepresent invention provides a movable support for the cash register, towhich the cash register is secured. The support, or platform, isslidably mounted on a :guide secured to the counter top, and the forwardend of the platform is provided 'with a framework comprising legsresting on the floor of the store room. These legs may begfastened tothefioor for maximum stability. The framework has pivoted thereto anauxiliary frame to support the free end of the platform when moved outfrom the counter top its fullest extent to firmly support the platformand the cash register thereon. The platform is movable far enough toprovide access to the doors in the cabinet, whereupon the doors can beopened to gai'n'access to the mechanism in the cabinet-for servicing thecash register.

Detailed description In a typical installation, illustrated in Fig. 3, acash register I0 is mounted on the top of a counter H, and in manyinstances merchandise i2 is displayed adjacent "the cash register and insuch positions as to prevent easy access to doors l3 in the cabinet ofthe cash register. To gain access to the doors 13 without disturbing themerchandise [2, a gui'deway l4 (Figs. 1 and 2) is secured to the top ofthe counter H. The sides of the guideway [4 are turned inwardly toprovide guide tracks 15. The cash register In is secured to a movableplatform [6, the front end of which is formed downwardly to provide aflexible apron H. The rear end of the platform is bent downwardly andforwardly to form a stop 18. Secured within the space between the underside of the platform [6 and the stop I8 is a bar l9, formed of twothicknesses of sheet metal bent double, which bar extends beyond thesides of the platform [6 and into the spaces forming the guide tracks[5. The bar l9, therefore, acts as a guiding means to guide the platformI6 when moved forwardly and backwardly on the counter top.

Secured to the forward end of the guideway I4 is a member 20 providedwith an upwardly and rearwardly extending flange lying in the path ofmovement of the stop l8, whereby the platform is arrested upon the stopI8 coming into contact with the member 20. A member 2|, similar to 3 themember 20, is secured to the rear end of the guideway I4 to limit thereturn movement of the platform 14.

A framework, including two legs 22 and a cross bar 23, is provided tosupport the forward end of the platform H, the upper ends of the legs 22being secured to the flexible apron H.

The cross bar 23 is formed of a sheet of metal formed in a closeinverted U shape, which can be fitted over angle feet 24, which have oneflange of each extending forwardly and which may be secured to the floorof the store room for stability. The angle feet 24 are constructed ofresilient material to permit flexing thereof in a manner presentlydescribed.

Pivoted to each leg 22, as at 25, is an angle bar 26, which hangs freelyagainst the leg 22 when the cash register is in the position illustratedin Fig. 1.

When it is desired to gain access to the doors 13, the cash register Iis pulled forwardly to slide the platform IS on the guide plate I4 untilthe platform is arrested by the stop [8 striking the member 29. At thistime, the angle bars 26 assume the chain-line position (Fig. 1), andtheir lower ends rest on the floor of the store to firmly support theplatform l6. It should be noted that the angle bars 26 do not reach thefloor when in normal position, shown by full lines in Fig. 1. Theforward movement of the upper ends of the legs 22 is permitted, sincethe apron I! and the angle feet 24 are made of resilient material andcan therefore be flexed sufficiently to permit the angular movement ofthe legs 22.

As an extra precaution, a flanged member 2'! is secured to the platformI6 to prevent accidental forward shifting of the cash register when inmoved position, in which position the platform [4 stands at a slightangle.

While the form of the invention shown and described herein is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form orembodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment invarious other forms.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a counter top; a guide membersecured to the counter top, said guide member provided with guidetracks; a movable platform normally resting on the guide member, saidplatform adapted to support a machine; projections on the platformextending into the guide tracks by means of which the platform is guidedin its movements; a framework including a plurality of legs and a crossbar located near the lower ends of the legs; angle bars constructed offlexible material and connected to the cross bar to provide an anchorfor the framework, said angle bars being secured to the floor of a room;a flexible apron on the platform connected to the upper end of theframework, said flexible angle bars and flexible apron providing meansto permit the platform to be moved from its normal position into 2.moved position without disconnecting the framework from the platform orthe floor; and means on the framework and movable therewith andrelatively thereto to provide a support for the platform when in movedposition.

2. In a device of the class described, a counter top; a guide membersecured to the counter top, said guide member provided with guidetracks; a movable platform normally resting on the guide member, saidplatform adapted to support a machine; projections on the platformextending into the guide tracks by means of which the platform is guidedin its movements; a framework including a plurality of legs and a crossbar located near the lower ends of the legs; angle bars constructed offlexible material and connected to the cross bar to provide an anchorfor the framework, said angle bars being secured to the floor of a room;a flexible apron on the platform connected to the upper end of theframework, said flexible angle bars and flexible apron providing meansto permit the platform to be moved from its normal position into a movedposition without disconnecting the framework from the platform or thefloor; and means pivotally connected to the framework, the lower ends ofwhich means being located a distance above the floor, but movable torest on the floor when the platform is moved to limit the movement ofthe platform and to support one end of the platform in its movedposition.

BRUCE K. SLO'NNEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Buntin June 12, 1951

